Book to the Past
by snakefever
Summary: A book sudenly pops to the past. Who sent it, the strange man with the greasy hair, the boy with the scar, or maybe the guy with the knife. and who murderd and why. I'm going to finish this, this also wont be like the rest of the reading fic's.
1. ready set read!

Chapter one: The book

It was an ordinary day for the Marauders; they made fun of Snape (except Remus, who was more of the responsible of the four) pulled a few prank's (even Remus) and looked at a books (except Remus, as he did a lot of work.)

The four were now were in a library, as Remus insisted they get in work ("Why Moony! Why must you make us do this?" Padfoot had shouted in mock terror as Remus dragged him to the library.)

Sirius was scanning the books with no interest when he came upon a normal sized book. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the bold title with a worn cover.

Sirius took the book off the self with a worried frown. He had never heard of a Harry Potter before. He flipped to the front page with the cop write dates and found it was 1999. Sirius gasped and almost dropped the future book.

Sirius scrambled back to his three friends, who were huddled by the table near the windows. James was looking out the window in a daze, Remus was reading a large book and Peter was eating a piece of cheese.

"Moony!" hissed Sirius and slammed the book down. The three looked toward Sirius, startled looks on their faces.

"Look at this book!" He turned it around and showed them the cover. Prongs read it with shock.

"There's not a Harry in my family," Prongs said looked at the young man on the cover. "He looks a lot like me!"

"Whats weirder," said Peter checking the copy write page, "is its published almost 20 years in the future." James stared in shocked.

Remus picked up the book and as he flipped it open to the first chapter a card fell out:

This book is destined for you to read but read it all before making your judgment than I will come find you and tell the rest. Signed,

You will now soon enough

They all looked at it and James said, "Well let's read it"

"Alright me first," said Moony. And he cleared his throat and began, "**_Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways."_**

"In what ways?" said James, indignantly at the potential insult as his future relative.

**_For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of the year. For another, he really wanted to do his homework, but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. _******

"Why would you want to study?" said Sirius "he is crazy!" Remus shot him a glare and Sirius shut up.

**_And he also happened to be a wizard. _******

"Nothing unusual with that," muttered Remus. "Muggles!"

**_It was nearly midnight, and he was lying on his front in bed, the blankets drawn right over his head like a tent, a torch in one hand and a large leather-bound book (_****_A History of Magic _****_by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. _******

"History of Magic," moaned Sirius. "Boring!"

**_Harry moved the tip of his eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as he looked for something that would help him write his essay, 'Witch-Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless - Discuss'. _******

"Okay are they trying to make us learn or something?" said James, with a soft scowl. He hated learning, except when it came to learning about transfiguration, his favorite subject.

**_The quill paused at the top of a likely-looking paragraph. Harry pushed his round glasses up his nose, moved his torch closer to the book and read: _******

**_Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame-Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burnt so much that she allowed herself to be caught no fewer than forty-seven times in various disguises. _******

"Oh that's cool," said Peter barely listening to the learning section of this book. Remus scoffed again at his three friend's ability to not want to learn.

**_Harry put his quill between his teeth and reached underneath his pillow for his ink bottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully he unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped his quill into it and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen, because if any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of his quill on their way to the bathroom, he'd probably find himself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer. _******

"He is as very paranoid" said Moony, with a raised eyebrow at James. James was busy scowling at the fact that his relative might be shoved into a cupboard just for trying to do his homework.

**_The Dursley family of number four, _****_Privet Drive_**********

"Who cares about them" said Sirius; Remus shit him a slight glare at the interruption and began again, **_"was the reason that Harry never enjoyed his summer holidays. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their son, Dudley, were Harry's only living relatives. They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude towards magic." _**

"'Cause they're ignorant fools," said James while rolling his eyes.

Sirius nodded in agreement. Peter ate his cheese and looked around with his shifty blue eyes.

**_Harry's dead parents, who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursleys' roof. For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept Harry as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of him. _******

"You can't do that, morons," said James with a slight frown. What did they mean exactly by 'squash the magic out of him?'

**_To their fury, they had been unsuccessful, and now lived in terror of anyone finding out that Harry had spent most of the last two years at _****_Hogwarts_********_School_****_ of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _******

"Best school in the world" they all cheered.

**_The most the Dursleys could do these days was to lock away Harry's spellbooks, wand, cauldron and broomstick at the start of the summer holidays, and forbid him to talk to the neighbors_**.

"They can't do that" said James madly. Sirius muttered, "Mother hen!" James shoved him almost off his chair while gesturing for Remus to continue.

**_This separation from his spellbooks had been a real problem for Harry, because his teachers at Hogwarts had given him a lot of holiday work. _******

"Wonder if professor McGonagall still teaches," said Moony with wonder; they all shuddered at the thought of the strict teacher.

**_One of these essays, a particularly nasty one about Shrinking Potions, was for Harry's least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, who would be delighted to have an excuse to give Harry detention for a month. Harry had therefore seized his chance in the first week of the holidays. _******

"SNAPE!" they all yelled in shock.

"How could that git become a teacher!" Sirius gasped. James glared at the ceiling muttering, "Why! Why!"

**_While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), _******

"Show off," said Peter.

**_Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs, grabbed some of his books and hidden them in his bedroom. _******

"A real trouble maker," said James wiping away a fake tear with pride wielding up in him.

**_As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night. _******

"Wow he's very paranoid," said Moony.

"I would be too," said Peter, "if I had relative like them."

**_Harry had been keen to avoid trouble with his aunt and uncle at the moment, as they were already in a bad mood with him, _******

"You know what," said Sirius "I think this your son, James."

"Maybe," said James happily with a slight grin at the young man on the cover. He sounded like, so far, a cool kid. .

**_ All because he'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school holidays. _******

**_Ron Weasley, who was one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts, came from a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Harry didn't, but had never used a telephone before_**.

"Oh no," said Remus.

"What's a telephone"? asked James, puzzled. Remus, who had taken Muggle Studies, answered dutifully, "A device muggles use to communicate with."

**_Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call. _******

**_"_****_Vernon_****_ Dursley speaking." _******

"Not good," said James.

"State the obvious," Remus muttered making Sirius snicker.

**_Harry, who happened to be in the room at the time, froze as he heard Ron's voice answer. _******

**_"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I - WANT - TO - TALK - TO - HARRY - POTTER!" _******

**_Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm. _******

"Man he's in trouble," said Remus sympathetically.

**_"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?" _******

**_"RON - WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football pitch. "I'M - A - FIREND - OF - HARRY'S - FROM - SCHOOL -" _******

"Not the greatest of ideas to say that, Ron," said James.

"He's had it, the Dursley'll now know he's a wizard," said Sirius.

**_Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Harry, who was rooted to the spot. _******

"I'd be running," said James. The others nodded in agreement.

**_"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arms length, as though frightened it might explode_**.

"Yes there is" said Sirius with a frown. "Stupid muggle"

**_"I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!" _******

**_And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider. _******

**_The row that had followed had been one of the worst ever. _******

**_"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE - PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon roared spraying Harry with spit. _******

"Ughh," they all said in disgust. James scowled, "How dare he spray spit on my potential son!"

**_Ron obviously realized that he'd got Harry into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Harry's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts. _******

"Well she seems to be the smart one," said James, "a lot like Moony."

**_So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was one, very small improvement: _******

"Really?" said James, "like no bugs?"

**_After swearing that he wouldn't use her to send any letters to any of his friends, Harry had been allowed to let his owl, Hedwig, out at night. _******

"She obviously didn't like being locked up again," said James.

"A screeching owl at night- not good, especially if you're catching up on beauty sleep," said Sirius smirking and running a hand through his hair.

**_Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time. _******

**_Harry finished writing about Wandelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of his enormous cousin, Dudley. _******

"Fat log" they all muttered in disgust.

**_It must be very late. Harry's eyes were itching with tiredness. _******

"This writer shows a lot of details," said Sirius, "just get on with it"

**_Perhaps he'd finish this essay tomorrow night... _******

**_He replaced the top of the ink bottle, pulled an old pillowcase from under his bed, put the torch, _****_A History of Magic,_****_ his essay, quill and ink inside it, got out of bed and hid the lot under a loose floorboard under his bed. _******

"A loose floorboard?" said James keenly. "Very handy!"

**_Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on his bedside table. _******

**_It was _****_one o'clock_****_ in the morning. Harry's stomach gave a funny jolt. He had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. _******

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!" Peter, Sirius and James shouted. Remus looked up into the sky with a "why did you give me these idiots as friend," look before turning back to the book.

**_Yet another unusual thing about Harry was how little he looked forward to his birthdays. He had never received a birthday card in his life. The Dursleys had completely ignored his last to birthdays, and he has no reason to suppose they would remember his one_**.

"Man that suck's," said Sirius, "this place is worst than my house"

**_Harry walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. He leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on his face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. Harry wasn't worried about her- she'd been gone this long before- but he hoped she'd be back soon. _******

"At least he has someone to keep him company," said James sadly.

**_She was the only living creature in this house that didn't flinch at the sight of him. _******

"Okay who votes on kicking Dursley butt?" said James. All hands raised, even Remus'. James smirked and got out a piece of parchment. "To record the things they do wrong to Harry."

**_Harry, though still rather small and skinny for his age, had grown a few inches over the last year. His jet-black hair, however, was just as it always had been: stubbornly untidy, whatever he did to it. _******

"Just like yours prongs." commented Sirius.

**_The eyes behind his glasses were bright green, _******

"Like Lily's," said James dreamily.

"Snap out of it prongs," said Moony with expertise as James went into Lily land many times.

**_And on his forehead, clearly visible through his hair was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightening. _******

**_Of all the unusual things about Harry, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. It was not, as the Dursleys had pretended for ten years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed Harry's parents, because Lily and James Potter had not died in a car crash. _******

"Oh my god I'm his father!" said James in shock before grinning and whispered to himself, "I'm a father!" Than as it dawned upon him he shouted with a grin, "I marry Lily!" He began dancing an odd jig around the table.

**_They had been murdered, murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort. Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, when Voldemort's curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled... _**

James finished his jig and stared at Moony in shock. Sirius felt emotions roll upon him in shock.

"What!" Peter and Remus choked out while Sirius felt a weird numbness come over him. James was frozen in an odd potion before whispering, "Continue Moony." Remus did so without question.

**_But Harry had come face to face with him since at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as he stood at the dark window, Harry had to admit he was lucky even to have reached his thirteenth birthday. _**

"Wow, he must be the greatest wizard ever," said James proudly.

**_He scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to him with a dead mouse in her beak, expecting praise. _******

"Well, she is an owl," said Sirius. "That's what owls do."

**_Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Harry realized what he was seeing. _******

**_Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction. He stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second, he hesitated, his hand on the window-latch, wondering whether to slam it shut, but _**then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Harry, realizing what it was, leapt aside.

"Wonder what it is," said James.

**_Through the window soared three owls two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft _****_flump_****_ on Harry's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and grey, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a package tied to its legs. _******

**_Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once- his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. _******

They all smiled.

**_Harry dashed to the bed at once, untied the cords round Errol's legs, took off the parcel and then carried Errol off to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp down some water. _******

"That really is one useless bird," said James, shaking his head.

"Why don't they get another one?" said Sirius.

"Owls are really expensive," said Remus.

**_Harry turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the larger snowy female, was his own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel, and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave Harry an affectionate nip with her beak as he removed her burden, and then flew across the room to join Errol. _******

"They must be all presents from people for his birthday," said Peter excitedly.

"Of course! It's his birthday!" said James.

Remus rolled his eyes.

**_Harry didn't recognize the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but he knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third parcel, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest. _******

"Wonder who it's from?" said Moony

**_When Harry relieved this owl of its post it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings and took off through the window into the night. _******

**_Harry sat down on his bed, grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and his first ever birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out- a letter and a newspaper cutting. _******

"Oh, are the Weasley's in the paper?" said Remus.

**_The cutting had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black and white picture were moving. Harry picked it up, smoothed it out and read: _******

**_MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE _******

**_Arthur Weasley, Head of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. _******

"Cool they deserve it," James said; the other's nodded

**_A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in _****_Egypt_****_, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank. _******

**_The Weasley family will be spending a month in _****_Egypt_****_, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children attend. _******

"Wow that's a lot of kid's," said Peter in awe.

**_Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face as he saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at him, standing in front of a very large pyramid_**.

"I hope they're enjoying themselves," said James, smiling.

**_Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black and white picture didn't show it) with flaming red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat Scabbers on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny._******

"You don't like the hot, do you, Peter," said Remus thoughtfully.

"No," Peter said shuddering, "It makes my fur clump."

**_Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor. _******

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Sirius, smiling.

**_He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it. _******

**_Dear Harry, _******

**_Happy birthday! _******

**_Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. _******

"Ron, they hate him, they've given him a hard time, even if you didn't phone them," said James.

**_I asked dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted. _**

"You think?" said Sirius sarcastically.

**_It's brilliant here in _****_Egypt_****_. Bill's taken us round all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. _**

**_There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff._**

****"Awesome!" They said.

"That's why Snivellus so ugly," said Sirius. "He's been shut up in an Egyptian tomb!"

They all laughed at that.

**_I couldn't believe it when _****_Dad_****_ won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred Galleons! Most of it's gone on this holiday, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year_**

"Why did he need a new wand," said Peter

**_Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree in the school grounds. _******

"Wow we never did that," said James with a tint of pride in his voice.

**_We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to _****_London_****_ to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there? _**

"They better," said James angrily.

**_Don't let the Muggles get you down! _**

**_Try and come to _****_London_******

**_Ron _**

**_P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week. _**

"Head boy's suck," said James

**_Harry glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy's badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his_** **_neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. _**

"Look next minister," Sirius rolling his eyes

**_Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it. _******

**_Harry - this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup. _**

**_Bye - Ron. _**

They all laughed.

**_Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of his clock. He looked at it happily for a few seconds, then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought. _******

"I want one," said James

**_Inside this, too, there was wrapped a present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione_**.

"How many friend's you think he has?" said Peter.

**_Dear Harry, _**

**_Ron wrote to me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right. _**

**_I'm on holiday in _****_France_****_ at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this too you - what if they'd opened it at Customs? - _**

"What's that?" said Peter. The others shrugged.

**_but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change. _**

"Well, that was very thoughtful of Hedwig, and Hermione," said James, smiling widely.

**I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the ****Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered, it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). **

"Yes, it is," said James. "But if Harry did that, I don't think you'd ever see him in the wizarding world again."

"True" said Sirius.

**_Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a few weeks ago? _**

"About a minute ago," said James, as though talking to Hermione himself.

The others looked at him as though he were crazy.

**_I bet he's learning loads, I'm really jealous - the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating._**

"I bet he's not," said James

**_There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out. _**

Sirius and James shook their heads.

Peter looked worriedly at the book. "Why would anyone spend that much time working?"

**_I hope it's not too long, it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for. _**

"Book worm" said James.

**_Ron says he's going to _****_London_****_ in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? _**

"Probably not," said James dully.

**_I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September the first! _**

**_Love from _**

**_Hermione_**

"She reminds me of lily," said James.

**_P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it. _**

"I wouldn't ever said" James.

**_Harry laughed again as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. _******

"Probably a book," said Moony

**_Knowing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells - but it wasn't. _******

"Oh, good," said James. "Book's are boring".

**_His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case with silver words stamped across it: _****_Broomstick Servicing Kit. _******

"Wow, brilliant!" said James enviously, his eyes lighting up.

"What an excellent present!" cried Remus.

**_"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside. _******

**_There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip onto your broom for long journeys, and a _****_Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare. _******

"What an excellent present!" cried Sirius.

**_Apart from his friends, the thing that Harry missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch, the most popular sport in the magical world- highly dangerous, very exciting and played on broomsticks. Harry happened to be a very good Quidditch player; _******

"Yes he likes quidditch," said James proudly.

**_He had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts house teams. One of Harry's most prized possessions was his Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom. _******

"Man, James, you son must be good." Sirius said grinning.

**_Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his last parcel. He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. _******

**_He tore off the top layer of the paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly- as though it had jaws. _******

"Of course," said Moony, "it's Hagrid."

**_Harry froze. He knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. _******

"Understatement of the year, I think," said Remus.

**_Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin. _******

"Wow all that!" said Sirius.

**_Harry poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand and raised it over his head, ready to strike. _******

"Good thinking, Harry!" said James.

**_Then he seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled._**

**_And out fell - a book. Harry just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title, _****_The Monster Book of Monsters, _****_before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab. _******

"A moving, biting book on monsters," said James skeptically. "Well, at least he can wrap that back up. He won't have to open it."

**_"Uh oh," Harry muttered. _******

**_The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Harry followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached for it. _******

"Bad idea, it'll bite you," said Sirius.

**_"Ouch!" The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him, still scuttling on its covers. Harry scrambled around, threw himself forward and managed to flatten it. _******

"Woo!" said Peter.

**_Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door. _******

"What a log," they all said.

**_Hedwig and Errol watched interestingly as Harry clamped the struggling book tight in his arms, hurried to the chest of drawers and pulled out a belt, which he buckled tightly around it. _******

"Smart," said James

**_The _****_Monster Book_****_ shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Harry threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card. _******

**_Dear Harry, _**

**_Happy Birthday! _**

**_Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. _**

**_Hope the Muggles are treating you right. _**

**_All the best, _**

**_Hagrid. _**

"A biting book is gonna be useful," said James uncertainly. "Does Hagrid have some new monster pet, and wants Harry to read up on them and help him...?"

**_It struck Harry as ominous that Hagrid though a biting book would come in useful, but he put up Hagrid's card next to Ron and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. _******

**_The others beamed at the sound of Harry being happily satisfied, and having a better birthday._**

**_Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left. _******

**_Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Harry slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within and read: _******

"Wonder what it is," said Peter.

**_Dear Mr. Potter, _**

**_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at _****_eleven o'clock_******

**_Third-years are permitted to visit the _****_village_****_ of _****_Hogsmeade_****_ at certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. _**

**_A list of books for next year is enclosed. _**

**_Yours sincerely, _**

**_Professor M. McGonagall _**

**_Deputy Headmistress _**

They all shuddered.

**_Harry pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade at weekends; he knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and he had never set foot in there. But how on earth was he going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form? _******

"I bet he can't," said James.

He looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.

"He should do to bed," said James, kicking into parental mode.

**_Deciding that he'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when he woke up, Harry got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart he'd made for himself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. _******

"I would never do that," said Sirius.

**_Then he took off his glasses and lay down, eyes open, facing his three birthday cards. _******

**_Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else: glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday. _******

"Who wants to read the next chapter?" said Moony, holding up the book, waving it around.

"Let me see it," said Sirius and he grab the book and started reading the next chapter.


	2. no she didn't

CHAPTER TWO

AUNT MARGE'S BIG MISTAKE

"Who the hell is Aunt Marge?" said James.

"Great, more relatives," said Sirius

**Harry went down to breakfast next morning to find the three Dursleys  
already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new  
television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, **

"How much you want to bet they break it," said Sirius digging through  
his pockets in search for money.

Peter laughed.

**Who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge  
and the television in the living room.  
**  
"Fat lump!" muttered James.

"So true," said Remus.

**Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little  
eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate  
continually. **

"Pig," they all said together.

"I bet he can sell him out some where for money," said Sirius.

**Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a large, beefy man with  
very little neck and a lot of moustache. Far from wishing Harry a happy  
birthday, none of the Dursleys gave any sign that they had noticed Harry  
enter the room, but Harry was far too used to this to care. **

"But we care," growled James.

"So true" said Peter quietly.

**He helped himself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the  
newsreader on the television, who was halfway through a report on an  
escaped convict. **

**"...the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous.**

"Black?" said Sirius hopefully. "Hey, my cousin finally landed her self  
in jail."

"Or maybe you finally lost it," said Remus.

A special hotline has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be  
reported immediately."

"What is a hotline," said James.

Remus laughed, "It's a telly". .

**"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over  
the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the  
filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"**

"Coming from the moustache man sitting there," said James coldly.

**He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always  
been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. **

"Like I can help our hair, beside it attracts girls," James.

**Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was  
surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well  
groomed indeed. **

"That's right, Harry," said James. "Be proud, be proud."

**The newsreader had reappeared. **

**"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today -"**

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the newsreader.  
"You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that?  
Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!" 

"Oh, I hope so, Dursley," said James, "he could take care of you and  
Harry wont have to live with you."

**Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, **

"Horse women attacks," said Peter.

**whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Harry  
knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hotline  
number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her  
life spying on her boring, law-abiding neighbours. **

"And Lily's her sister," said James.

**"When will they /learn/," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with  
his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these  
people?"**

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next  
door's runner-beans. 

"What kind of name is that?" said James.

**Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glancing at his watch and added, "I'd  
better be off in a minute, Petunia, Marge's train gets in at ten."**

Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing  
Kit-, 

James grinned. Sirius and Remus shook their heads grinning, and looked  
at James fondly.

**-was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.**

"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh-/she/'/s/ now coming here, is she?" 

"Well, I'm beginning to dislike her," said James. "By the sounds of  
things, Harry doesn't like her."

**Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood  
relative of Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), he  
had been forced to call her "Aunt" all his life. **

James glared at the book in his hands.

"Dursley is such an idiot," said Peter.

"Couldn't have put it better myself!" said Sirius.

**Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where  
she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay in Privet Drive, because  
she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits  
stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind. **

"She can't be that bad she likes dogs," said Sirius.

**At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry  
around the shins with her walking stick to stop him beating Dudley  
at musical statues. **

James stood up cursing horribly at the book in his hands, his face  
getting redder as he got madder.

**A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized  
robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry. **

"Hey there not that bad," said Sirius, "there actually very good

They all looked at him weirdly

"Don't want to know how you knew it," said Remus.

**On her last visit, the year before Harry had started at Hogwarts, Harry  
had accidentally trodden on the paw of her favorite dog. **

Sirius winced.

"It was an accident," said James hotly, noticing Sirius' reaction.

"Yeah, but it still hurts."

**Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt  
Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of  
the incident still brought tears of laughter into Dudley's eyes. **

"Add that to the list of thing's we do to him," said James in a huff.  
Sirius nodded and added this.

**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're  
on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we  
need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her." **

"Wonder if he gets to leave," said Remus.

**Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching  
Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of  
entertainment.**

"My favorite form of entertainment revenge," said James.

**"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your  
head when your talking to Marge." **

"You're tongue is in your mouth, Dursley," said James coolly, "are you  
stupid or something?"

**"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me." **

"Go Harry" said Remus. The rest cheered.

**"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard  
Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your /abnormality/, **

"HEY! MY SON IS NOT ABNORMAL!" screamed James. The other nodded but  
inched away from James in fright.

I don't want any - any /funny/ stuff while she's here. You behave  
yourself, got me?"

**"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.**

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes not slits in his  
great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure  
Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." 

"HE'S WHAT?" stormed James, shaking the room. "MY SON GOES TO HOGWARTS!  
NOT TO SOME RUTTY SCHOOL FOR CRIMINALS! HOW DARE YOU!"

**"/What/?" Harry yelled.**

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble,"  
spat Uncle Vernon. 

"HARRY! H. A. R. R. Y. HARRY!" cried James angrily. "He has a name! Use  
it, you arse".

**Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon,  
hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a week-long visit - it  
was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him,  
including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. **

"Probably don't realize it's your birthday too," said James.

**"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll  
be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?" **

"Dudder's that's even stupider then Dudley," exclaimed Sirius.

The others laughed at him.

**"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television  
now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry. **

"I'd be surprised if he moved his fat arse from that chair all day,"  
said Remus coolly.

"He does once a day, and that's to go to bed," said James.

**"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia,  
smoothing Dudley's thick blonde hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely  
new bow-tie." **

"How is he supposed to look smart even with a stupid bow tie,' said Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder. **

**"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.**

Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden  
idea. 

"I'm intrigued," said James thoughtfully.

**Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle  
Vernon to the front door. **

"Why would he want to go with the fat lug," aid James.

**Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat. **

"Muggles have different kinds of coats?" said Sirius exasperated.

"What do they do if they are going to a fancy do, but they have to drive  
there?" asked James. "Do they wear the car coat, or the fancy coat?"

Remus shrugged.

Sirius shook his head muttering, "Muggles..."

**"I'm not taking /you/," he snarled, as he turned to see Harry watching  
him.**

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you  
something."

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third-years at Hog - at my school are allowed to visit the village  
sometimes," said Harry. 

"I wonder if he can get that through his head," said James.

**"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the  
door.**

"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.

"Harry, this is completely useless," said James.

"Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work,  
pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits..."

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed  
Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic  
in Uncle Vernon's voice. 

James grinned at the others.

"I see what he's doing," said Sirius.

**Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large,  
purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound  
convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"**

"That's it, Harry," said James. "Use that, you've got him!"

**/"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?/" roared  
Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. **

James looked more than furious." If you touched him, I'll come back to  
life and torture you in hell forever.

"Wow, you've gone to father mode fast," said Sirius.

"You would to if you were me," said James still angry.

**"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I  
could tell her," he said grimly. **

**Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce. **

"Which is an improvement to his normal look, I'm sure," said Sirius.

**"But if you sign the permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear  
I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a  
Mug - like I'm normal and everything." **

"Excellent, Harry!" said Remus.

**Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if  
his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple. **

**"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behaviour carefully  
during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've oed the line and kept  
to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form." **

"Brilliant all he has to do is behave himself," said James happily.

**He wheeled around, pulled open the front door and slammed it shut so  
hard that one of the little glass panes at the top fell out. **

" Ha he got him good," said Remus.

**Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his  
bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now. **

"Who would want to act like that," said

**Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his cards and hid  
them under the loose floorboard with his homework. **

"Man, this is a sad story when do we get to the good part," said Peter  
whining.

**Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and  
Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Harry sighed, then  
poked them both awake. **

"Man that bites what's he going to do for fun," said Sirius.

"Find ways of tormenting the big's," said James.

**"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a  
week. Go with Errol, Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note,  
explaining. And don't look at me like that" - Hedwig's large amber eyes  
were reproachful, "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be able to  
visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione." **

James glared at the book, as though glaring at the Dursleys.

**Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her  
leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling  
thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe. **

"Man this sucks," said Sirius.

**But Harry didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia  
was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to  
welcome their guest. **

**"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the  
hall. **

"Do some thing about your face," said Sirius.

**Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt  
Marge loved criticising him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she  
would be. **

"Why would he want do some thing like that," said Peter.

**All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's  
car pulled into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors, and  
footsteps on the garden path.**

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.

A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open. 

"Dan Dun Dun," Sirius said.

Every one laughed

**On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon;  
large, beefy and purple-faced, she even had a moustache, though not as  
bushy as his. **

"Ah the alien's are here," said James.

"How bout we get her help," said Remus.

Every one else laughed

**In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other  
was an old and evil-tempered bulldog. **

"Dogs aren't that bad," said Sirius.

**"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?" **

"Nefy-poo," said James in a high pitch voice.

**Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blonde hair plastered to his  
fat head, a bow-tie just visible under his many chins. **

"Uh that's not some thing I want to see," said Sirius

**Aunt Marge though the suit case in Harry's stomach knocking the  
stuffing out of him**.

"She better watch out I'm going to beat her," said James angrily.

**seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug and planted a large kiss on  
his cheek.**

Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's  
hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke  
apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist. 

"And he gets nothing," said Remus.

**"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a  
hat-stand. **

"Fat cow," said Sirius.

**Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her  
large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone**.

"Worse image in my head," said Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door. **

"And died," said James hopefully.

**"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"**

"He will take what ever gets you out of the house," said Remus.

**"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge, as they  
all trooped into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the  
suitcase. **

"Escape now," said Sirius.

**But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was  
fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare  
bedroom, taking as long as he could**.

"I would escape now," said James.

**By the time he got beck to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied  
with tea and fruitcake and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner.  
Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked  
her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals.**

"I now hate her even more," said Sirius.

**"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked. **

"Why would you care big pig," said James.

**"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubuster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's  
retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave  
poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me." **

"Ow poor ripper," said Sirius rolling his eyes.

**Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down.**

"Man add the dog to the list of thing's we do to," said James, looking  
at Sirius who was writing thing's down on a piece of paper.

**This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.**

"Well, it certainly looks like it, doesn't it?" said James sarcastically.

"I think stupidity just runs in the Dursley family," said Sirius rolling  
his eyes.

**"Yes," said Harry.**

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled.  
"It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you."

"It's nice of them to give him a home, but there's no excuse for the way  
they treat him," said James.

**Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage  
if you'd been dumped on /my/ doorstep." **

"I'd rather him brought up in an orphanage," said James.

**Harry was bursting to say that he'd rather live in an orphanage than  
with the Dursleys, but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped him. **

"That's it, Harry. You keep your temper. Shout at them after the form's  
signed," muttered James.

**He forced his face into a painful smile. **

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge.

"Would you rather he scowled at you!" snapped Sirius.

**"I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. **

"Well, actually, he has," said James smiling. "Now he's a training wizard."

**I hoped school would knock some manners into you." **

"Yes it has, but unfortunately, you don't seem to be willing to see his  
good manners," said Remus.

**She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache and said, "Where is  
it that you send him, again, Vernon?" "St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon  
promptly. **

"You're an idiot," Sirius said promptly annoying him.

"It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"Perfect for Dudley," said Sirius.

**"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St Brutus's, boy?"  
she barked across the table. **

"Why do they keep calling him boy," said Remus shaking his head.

**"Er -" **

**Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back. **

"What's a cane anyways?" asked Peter.

"It's a stick they used to use in schools to beat students for  
punishment," explained Remus.

"Yeah, Filch is always begging McGonagall and to use one on us lot,"  
said Sirius, with a grin.

**"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing  
properly, he added, "All the time."**

They laughed half heartily.

**"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. **

However, despite his last comments, James tensed at these words, and his  
breathing became much louder.

**"I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting  
people who deserve it.**

"He does not deserve to be hit!" said James.

**A good thrashing is what is needed ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. **

"You don't treat children like dogs," said Remus.

Sirius nodded, blinked, and smiled strangely.

"Stop it Sirius," said Remus angrily.

**Have /you/ been beaten often?" **

"Why not, Harry," said James, shrugging. "The more you've been beaten,  
the happier she'll be."

**"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."**

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

**"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. **

James looks like he was going to explode.

**"If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly  
aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make  
it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case." **

"Ya I like to see him write a note like that to Dumbledore," said James.

**Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain**;


	3. What Happen

Disclaimer: this is not mine to get this straight. btw I know it's been forever and this only part of one chapter but i'm working on the next one and it will be put on here today or tomorrow.

**CHAPTER THREE **

**THE KNIGHT BUS **

"I hate that bus" said Sirius "I spilled my ice cream on there a few months ago".

The rest of the marauders stared at him and confusion and James shakes his head and continued to read.

**Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart. **

**But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic. **

"It will be okay don't panic take a deep breath," said Remus.

"You know Remus you scare me," said James.

Everyone else nods.

"Well that is not nice especially when I have to handle you guys all the time" Remus said in a huff and moved away from the rest in another chair far away and said "I don't want to talk to you for awhile.

The others fault he was crazy but James continued anyways.

**Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. **

"That's the least of your problems," said James.

"Bloody hell" said Sirius smiling. "He's a fugitive James!"

"Another dream come true" said James wiping a fake tear from his eye.

"Yep," said peter quietly.

**And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic, which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. **

"WE DIDN'T THINK OF THAT," said James and Sirius.

"He wont," said Remus sneaking behind him.

The two instantly calmed down as Remus smiled.

They smiled back and Remus sat down with them.

**He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat. **

"They have bigger fish to fry" said peter loudly that time.

The rest just starred for the billionth time that day.

**Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent. What was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world?**

"Not with Dumbledore around," said James seriously.

**He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now, but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them. **

**He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the moneybag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. **

"If you do that you're my hero," says Sirius.

"Don't talk like that," James nearly screams.

**He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless ... **

**He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. **

"No, Harry, no more magic," said Remus.

**If he was already expelled (his heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. **

Even now Sirius is shaking his head.

**He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father- what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the Cloak and flew to London? **

"Duh someone will see you," said Sirius.

"Finally something your right about," said Remus.

"HAY," said Remus.

**Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and... Begin his life as an outcast. **

"know that rocks,' said Sirius.

"he's back" said Remus.

**It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall for ever or he'd find himself trying to explain to the Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunkful of spellbooks and a broomstick.**

**Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak- but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more. **

"What's wrong," asked peter.

**A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses. **

"I hate that feeling," muttered James.

"Me too," agreed Sirius.

**He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. **

"Good instincts," muttered Remus.

**He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. **

"It has to be one me trying to talk some sense in to him," say's Remus.

"no," say's sirius.

remus hit's sirius and then sirius say's "owww".

**Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or - something else. **

"Cat's," sirius and peter growl.

**"_Lumos_," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them, Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. **

"it's a bear," said Sirius joking.

Everyone else looked like they were going to kill him.

He looked down and James continued to read.

**Harry stepped backwards. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter. **

"Ouch," they all winced.

"Let's move to the shreaking shack," said Remus as the librarion spotted them, and was coming torwards them.

------------------------------------------screanbreak--------------------------------------------------

They are know at the shreaking shack and and James starts to read agian

**There was a deafening BANG and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light... **

"STAY AWAY FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHT," screams James and Sirius.

The lights suddenly turn off.

"AHHHHHH," say's the trio.

the lights come back on and only three were there.

climax


	4. authors note

I have to thank you all.

Nevile Longbottom: I wish but I love that you think I am.

PurpleLight Thanks for your tip and I hope it will be.

whateveruwantittobe  
I will defently try my hardest to finnish.

eyes of a wolf Thanks I never though I was good at emotions.

and thank the rest of you guys you helped me more than you think

Twin Tails Speed Susan Potter Prongsgrl amrawo caffienenut1022 sarahswick Clana621 le + jp pure 3


	5. the disapearing

**Chapter 4**

**"**Peter" screamed three boys is unleveled tones.

"Wait," said Remus. "Looky here I found something".

The other two looked and Remus started to read it.

_Hello again, you will not have to worry about the other one finish the book and I'll come soon it's important for all of you to know the truth. _

"Okay, "said James. "Let's keep reading maybe will get peter back," James said in a weak voice way different than his normal one.

**With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights had screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. **

"Well the night bus is here," said Sirius not very excited although.

**They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windscreen spelled The Knight Bus. **

**For a split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. **

"Well good for harry," James smiled even though it was only half way.

**"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve-" **

"Why are you stopping," Remus said irritably.

**The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close to, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was; eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and a fair few pimples. **

"Well that's not nice to say," said Remus.

"Sod off Remus," said Sirius.

**"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner. **

"What are you doing questioning him," said James.

**"Fell over," said Harry. **

"Duhh," said Sirius.

**"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan. **

**"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. **

"Well of course you didn't," said Remus reassuringly.

**One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. **

"I'll buy you a new pair," said Sirius.

"Sirius," Remus said.

"Yes," was answered back.

"Sod off," said Remus again.

**He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over, and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and the fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty. **

**"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan. **

**"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog... but massive..." **

"Holy cow it's me," said Sirius.

**He looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead. **

**"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly. **

"Nothing," was replied by all three of them rather quickly to.

**"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them. **

**"Woss your name?" Stan persisted. **

"Ummm maybe bob screw driver," said Sirius.

The others stared at him continuously.

Remus goes "hum hum," they look at him and Sirius says "sorry".

**"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. "So - so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, **

"As in Frank Longbottom," said James.

"Yeah he's a nice guy," said Sirius.

**"did you say it goes anywhere?" **

**"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you _did_ flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?" **

Duhh was replied in there mines

**"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?" **

**"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice." **

"wow colored toothbrush," said James.

"to make your mouth clean can you imagine," said sirius.

"it's a miracle," said james.

"shut up guys," replied a agrivated moony. "Do you want to get peter back or not".

James and Sirius becam qiut after that.

thank you was replied.

**Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag and shoved some silver into Stan's hand. **

**He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus. **

"He should have to do it himself," said Sirius,

**There were no seats; **

"Well of course," said Sirius like it was nothing.

**Instead, half-a-dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. **

**A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs," and rolled over in his sleep. **

"That's weird," said James.

"Naaa," said Sirius. "He's like my uncle".

**"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. **

"I wonder who it is," said Remus curiously.

"Probably me," said Sirius half joking.

**"This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern." **

"Ahh he's still there," said Sirius. "You better hold on Harry".

**Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his fringe again and sat down on his bed. **

**"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's. **

**There was another tremendous BANG, and next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backwards by the speed of the Knight Bus. **

"don't be upset harry it happens to everyone," said Remus.

**Pulling himself up. Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. **

**Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment. **

**"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?" **

**"Ar," said Ernie. **

"I hate whales," said Sirius.

"why," said James.

"no reason," said Sirius.

"let's continue shall we," said Remus.

**"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry. **

**"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'" **

"Hay muggles made Pop Tarts, pizza, and the breakfast club they deserve our respect," said Sirius.

**"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute." **

**Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. **

"still," said James.

**The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lamp posts, letter-boxes and bins jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed. **

**Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a travelling cloak. **

**"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily, as Ern stamped in the brake and the beds slid a foot or so towards the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the door shut; **

"I know her," said James. "She gave me candy once.

**there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way. **

"To much description let's move on," said Sirius impatiently.

**Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been travelling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. **

**His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. **

"Hehe I forgot about that," said James.

**Stan had unfolded a copy of the _Daily_ _Prophet_ and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. **

"Wonder what is going on," said Remus.

**A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar. **

**"it's snape," said Sirius. **

**"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!" **

"what," said Sirius.

**Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled. **

**"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. **

here is some more thankyou to you

a big one forBookworm622 who has agreed to be my beta yay no more mistakes.

Skippy Agogo well I would like you to know I like your idea and i'll think about writing a story like that in the future.

Future Dark Goddess 90 I think your brillant for saying the storys brillant lol thanks and hope you like it.

Twin Tails Speed well here it is

Mystery Gal well your going to have to stay there for awhile since I love to use climaxes.


	6. sirius WHAT!

Yaaaaaaa new chapter :DDDDD

"Holy crap," said Sirius.

The others stared at him frightened.

"I didn't do it," he said upset that they would even consider that.

"Of course not," said remus a little to fast "we just need to keep reading".

"Yes, "said James fast also, for the first time ever that's all he could think to say.

Remus started reading a moment later. Freaked by the first time they ever been this qiuet. Also not wanting to think about what could happen next.

**possibly**** the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, **

**is**** still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. **

**"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, **

"I hate him," said Sirius, breaking the silence like they new he would. "He was at that party last year that my parents took me to, stupid bloke wonder when he will be minister."

**and**** we beg the magical community to remain calm." **

"I'm not bad, but I might make an acceptation for you." Sirius was close to popping a muscle.

"Calm down mate," James said while putting an arm on his shoulder.

**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the ****Muggle**** Prime Minister of the crisis. **

"Irritating retard," Remus spat. Not at all happy by this man, and was close to siding with Sirius.

**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said ****an irritable**** Fudge. "Black is mad. **

"Sirius is as mad as me," James said confidently.

"Don't talk prongs," Remus said smiling.

The two others didn't understand at all but continued to read.

**He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or ****Muggle**

"if you did that they would find you," Remus told Sirius.

**I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it- who'd believe him if he did?" **

"What true identity," Sirius asked?

"That you're a wizard you idiot," Remus said hitting him on the head regretting it instantly.

"Oh it's on," Sirius said but James hit him on the head and told him to pay attention before he could do anything.

**While ****Muggles**** have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand which ****Muggles**** use to kill each other), **

"We know that," Remus said sarcastically, But James and Sirius shook there head no.

**the**** magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, **

"what," they all screamed in shock.

**when**** Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. **

"go you," said James. "They must have been Death Eaters."

"Wow, you must be powerful as a adult," Remus said smiling.

**Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of his sunken face that seemed alive. **

"I must look terrible," said Sirius sadly.

"It's okay Padfoot, Remus said while hugging him.

**Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense ****Against**** the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. **

"Great," said Sirius more worried about his looks than anything else.

"I bet you won't," Remus replied.

"Are you implying I'm going to Azkaban," Sirius said in shock.

"No he isn't said," James smiling at them.

**"Scary-****lookin****fing****inee****?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read. **

**"He murdered ****" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with **

"Oh yeah I rock," said Sirius doing a dance.

**"Yep," said Stan. ****"In front of witnesses an' all.****Broad daylight.**** Big trouble it caused, ****dinnit****Ern**

**Ar****," said Ernie darkly. **

**Stan ****swivelled**** in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.**

**"Black ****woz**** a big supporter of You-Know-****Oo****," he said. **

"I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU FOR SAYING THAT," Sirius yelled in a big voice.

"Its okay Sirius we know you wouldn't," said James.

Remus nodded in agreement.

**"What, ****Voldemort****?" said Harry, without ****thinking.**

**Even Stan's pimples went white; ****Ern**** jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. **

**"You ****outta**** your tree?" yelped Stan. **

"ARE YOU CALLING MY SON INSANE," James yelled. "Okay, Sirius I'm with you, will kill him slow and painfully.

**Choo**** say 'is name for?" **

**"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry- I forgot-" **

**"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, me '****eart's****goin****' that fast..." **

**"So- so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically. **

"No," said all of them at once. They smiled at each over, and continued to read.

**"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. **

**Very close to You-Know-****Oo****, they say... **

"No way in hell," said Sirius.

**anyway****, when little '****Arry**** Potter put paid to You-Know-'****Oo****" - Harry nervously flattened his fringe down again- "all You-Know-'****Oo's**** supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, ****Ern****? Most of '****em**** knew it was all over, ****wiv****You-****Know-'****Oo**** gone, and they came quiet. **

"I doubt it," said Remus.

**But not Sirius Black.**** I '****eard**** he thought '****e'd**** be second-in-command once ****You-****Know-'****Oo**** 'ad taken over. **

"Okay I'm with you guys, "said Remus.

**"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of ****Mugles**** an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted '****alf**** the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen ****Muggles**** what got in the way. **

"MUGGLES," said Sirius.

"you never could of done that paddy," James said.

"Yeah," said Remus. "It must be a trick."

**Orrible****, eh?**** An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper. **

**"What?" said ****Harry.**

**," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. **

"ummm," Remus said trying to think of something.

"Okay Sirius we all knew you would go insane but not like this," James said a little alarmed.

Sirius remain quiet not knowing what to say.

**An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went ****wiv****em**** quiet as ****anyfink****, still laughing 'is '****ead**** off. **

"okay im freaked out," Sirius said in a small voice.

**'Cos '****e's**** mad, ****inee****Ern****Inee**** mad?"**

**"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said ****Ern**** in his slow voice. "I'd blow ****meself**** up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind... after what he did..." **

"Nosy snot," Sirius murmured.

**"They 'ad a job ****coverin****' it up, din' they, ****Ern**** Stan said. **

"I want to move on," said James irritated to hell.

**"'Ole street blown up an' all them ****Muggles**** dead.**** What was it they said 'ad '****appened****Ern**

**"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie. **

**"An' now '****e's**** out," said Stan, examining the picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, ****Ern****Beats me '****ow**** 'e did it.**

They all kind of stared at the book with there mouths open a bit.

**Frightenin****', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, ****Ern**

They shivered at the thought.

**Ernie suddenly shivered. **

**"Talk about ****summat**** else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles." **

**Stan put the paper away reluctantly and Harry leant against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time. **

**"'Ear about that '****Arry**** Potter?****Blew up 'is aunt!****We 'ad '****im**** 'ere on the Knight Bus, ****di'n't**** we, ****Ern**

"Crap," said James.

**'E was ****tryin****' to run for it..." **

**He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban? **

"Naaaa," said Sirius.

**Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. **

"We must teach him stuff," said James.

**Hagrid****, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on ****Hagrid's**** face when he had been told where he was ****going,**** and ****Hagrid**** was one of the bravest people Harry knew. **

"I don't think so harry," Remus said softly.

**The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and bollards, ****telephone**** boxes and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over ****Harry's**** pillow when the bus moved abruptly from ****Anglesea**** to Aberdeen. **

**One by one, wizards and witches in dressing-gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. **

"oh yeah," said Sirius.

**Finally, Harry was the only passenger left. **

**"Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, "where-****abouts**** in London?" **

**Diagon**** Alley," said Harry. **

**Righto****," said Stan, "'old tight, then..." **

**BANG.**

**They were thundering along ****Charing**** Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeeze themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a ****little lighter. He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to ****Gringotts**** the moment it opened, then set off- where, he didn't know. **

"You better not," said Remus seriously.

**Ern**** slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to ****Diagon**** Alley. **

**"Thanks," Harry said to ****Ern**

**He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement. **

**"Well," said Harry, "bye then!" **

"Will be back to kill you," said James.

**But Stan wasn't paying attention. **

"Stupid retard, "said Remus.

**Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. **

** you are, Harry," said a voice**

Yes, im leaving it off here mawhahaha you all must pay. I know its been awhile but this is becoming a bit hard to write.

thanks for the reviews and the love! ive been taking a break from this story for a while but im back and better than ever! Yes I know you know what happens next in the real story but you dont know what happens next in here mawhahaha!!!


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